Golf-ball warmer



Feb. 24, 1970 K, W, GRAVATT 3,497,676

G OLF-BALL WARME R INVENTOR @wwf/ M 6fm/aft BY, M/Z. Vm

ATTORNEY Feb 24, 1970 K. W. GRAVATT 3,497,676

GOLF-BALL WARMER Filed June 7, 1968 Z3 VENTO/z. ffm/ze %6rm/a l mdf/m ATTORNEY United States Patent O M U.S. Cl. 219-521 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned essentially -with a golfball warmer including an outer case and an inner ball holder, mounted in spaced relation within the outer case, wherein radiant heat is adapted to penetrate the outer case and be absorbed by the ball holder for transmission to a contained ball.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While it is known to those versed in the golfing art that warmed golf balls travel further than cold golf balls, prior golf-ball warming procedures have been most cumbersome and ineicient, including the soaking of balls in warm water, retaining the balls in hand warmers, and similar inefficient expedients.

SUMMARY Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a unique golf-ball warming device which automatically maintains golf balls warm even in the coldest of playing conditions, and is extremely easy to use.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a golf-ball warming device of the type described which is conveniently carried on the person of the user, a golf bag, or otherwise, and affords a readily accessible ball holder and dispenser, and may additionally be provided with means for holding golf tees in conveniently accessible position.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a golf-ball warmer having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, which is extremely simple in construction, durable and reliable throughout a long useful life, and which can be economically manufactured for sale at a reasonable price.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawing, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the `features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing a golfball warmer constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, having a battery box installed thereon.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1 without the battery box.

-FIGURE 3 is a plan view showing the golf-ball warmer of FIGURE 2 in an open condition, apart from the mounting clip and illustrating the interior of the device.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

3,497,676 Patented Feb. 24, 1970 FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 5, v

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGURE l is shown a golf-ball warmer of the present invention, there generally designated 10, including a case 11, to which is attached a mounting member or clip 12. The clip 12 may be provided with an apertured ange or extension 13 having thru holes, as at 14 for removably receiving and retaining golf tees 15. Also, the case 11 may be provided, as on its exterior, with a battery housing 16, for a purpose appearing presently. In FIG- URES 246 the battery housing v16 has been removed for clarity.

The case 11 may include a pair of substantially identical, complementary hollow sections 21 and 22. The section 21 may include an elongate, generally flat outer wall 23, a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinallyextending side walls 24 and 25, and a pair of transversely extending end walls 26 and 27, respectively extending between the adjacent pairs of ends of the side walls 24 and 2-5. The side and end walls of outer case section 21 have their free edges generally coplanar, lying in a plane substantially parallel to that of the outer wall 23. Formed internally of the side and end walls 24-27 of the section 21, extending circumferentially thereabout adjacent to and spaced inward from the free edges of the side and end Walls, is an endless groove or recess 28. While one longitudinal or side wall 25 may have its free edge 29 generally parallel to the outer wall 23, the other longitudinal side wall 24 is externally beveled, as at 30, adjacent to its free edge 31.

The case section 22 is similar to the case section 21, including an elongate, generally rectangular outer wall 33, a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending side walls 34 and 35 on the outer wall, and a pair of transverse end walls 36 and 37 extending laterally between respective pairs of adjacent ends of the side walls 34 and `35. The siede walls 34 and 35 and end walls 36 and 37 thus extend peripherally about the outer casesection wall 33, having their free edges lying in a plane generally parallel to that of the outer case wall 33. Formed internally of the side and end case-section walls 34-37, extending circumferentially thereabout, is a groove or recess `38, located adjacent to and spaced from the plane of the free edges of the side and end Walls. As best seen in FIGURE 7, the side wall 35 may have its` free edge 39 lying in a plane generally parallel to the outer wall 33, while the side wall 34 has its edge region mitered. as at 40, to reduce the edge thickness, as at 41.y

In addition, one of the case sections 21 and 22, .say the latter, may be provided with suitable means for connection to the clip or mounting member 12, as by a plurality of thru apertures 43, 44 and 45. A

Interiorly of the case sections 21 and 22, located in spaced relation therein, are respective ball-holding sections 46 and `47. The ball-holding section 46 is illustrated as located in the outer case section 21, and the ballholding section 47 is located in the outer case section 22,.

Each of the ball-holding sections 46 and 47 maybe substantially identical in construction, and hingedly connected together, as will appear presently. In particular, the lball-holding section 46 may include a generally fiat sheet or web 48 of stiff, resiliently deflectable material, and having a peripheral edge portion or bead 49. The Sheet or web 48 of ball-holding section 46 is located Within and extends substantially completely across the interior of case section 21. More specifically, the web or sheet 48 of ball-holding section -46 lies in a plane substantially ush with the edge surface 29 of side Wall 25. With the peripheral edge or bead 49 engaged in the circumferential recess or groove 28. By the inherent resilience of the materials, the web or sheet 48 may have its peripheral edge or bead 49 snap engaged into the circumferential groove 28.

Spaced inwardly from the side and end walls 24-27 of the case section 21, the sheet or web 48 is formed with one or more generally semispherical formations or regions, as at 50, 51 and 52. The semispherical formations 50-52 each are spaced from each other, as well as the side and end walls 24-27, and extend toward but terminate short of the outer case-section wall 23, also -being spaced from the latter. Thus, the ball-holding section 46, including the web 48 and semispherical formations or receiver portions 50-52 are advantageously integrally formed of suitable material, such as plastic, or the like.

The ball-holding section 47 is of similar construction, including a generally fiat sheet or web 58 having a peripheral edge portion or Ibead 59 conformably engaged in the internal circumferential groove or recess 38, to retain the ball-holding section 47 in position within the outer case section 22. The web or sheet 58 is formed with one or more generally hemispherical formations 60, 61 and 162, located in spaced relation with respect to each other and the side and end walls 3-4-37 of the case section 22. The formations i60-62 are depressed into the case section 22, terminating short of and being spaced from the outer case-section Wall 33.

In assembly, the outer case sections 21 and 22 are located in side-by-side relation, as seen in FIGURES 3 and 6, with their side walls 24 and 34 in adjacent relation, and the ball-holding sections 46 and 47 are also located in side-by-side relation, with their webs 48 and 58 generally coplanar. In addition, the webs 48 and 58 are advantageously integrally connected together along their adjacent side edge regions, as by a flexible sheet portion or hinge I63. In this manner, the outer case sections 21 and 22 are hingedly connected together for relative swinging movement upon exure of the sheet portion 63. Of course, other hinge means may be employed to connect the case sections together. 11n addition, resilient means, as at 64 may be utilized to effect snap action of the hinged connection in both the open and closed positions. Further, one of the ball-holding sections, say section 47 may be provided with internal ribs, as at `65, 66 and '67. That is, extetnding circumferentially about each hemispherical recess formation 60, 61 and 62, lying substantially in the plane of the web or sheet S8, there are provided respective internal ribs or beads 65, 66 and 67.

The outer case sections 21 and 22 are advantageously fabricated of a solid transparent material, such as plastic, or other suitable material, to transmit a maximum of heat radiation, as from the sun. In addition, the ball-holding sections 46 and 47 are advantageously fabricated of an opaque, black material, say plastic or other suitable material, as for maximum .radiation absorbency. Also, it will now be appreciated that there is provided in each case section 21 and 22 a dead airspace between the case section itself and the contained ball-holding section 46 and 47, respectively. This dead airspace effectively insulates against heat loss while permitting the transmission therethrough of radiant heat.

For convenient portability, the mounting member 12 may assume the form of a generally U-shaped clip having and 72 depending from the bight portion. The legs 71 and 72 are engageable on the respective inner and outer sides of a users belt, as for convenient carrying and affording ready access to the device. The outer case 11 may be mounted on a lower region of the outer leg 72, as by the provision of studs or lugs 73, 74 and 7S respectively engageable through openings 43, 44 and 45 of outer wall 33, to fasten the case section 22 to the leg 72. In addition, the upper region of leg 22 may carry the golf-teeholding member or flange 13.

Optionally supplementing the absorption of solar radial tion, there may be provided a battery housing 16, for removably containing one or more small dry-cell batteries. Also, suitable connections (not shown) are made between the ybattery housing 16 and the ball-holding sections 48 and 58. In this embodiment, the ball-holding sections 48 and 58 would advantageously be fabricated of an electrically conducting plastic, as shown in FIG. 7 or other material, say having heating elements therein, and the heat dissipated lthereby effectively transferred to golf halls contained in the ball-holding sections.

Shown in phantom in FIGURE 6 is a golf ball 78 engaged in hemispherical formation 60, being conformably received therein, and releasably frictionally retained by the circumferential internal bead 65. Thus, the casing section 21 may be swung to an open position away from the casing section 22, and one or more balls 78 retained in the hemispherical formations of the ball-holding section 47 for manual removal therefrom. When the outer case sections 21 and 22 are swung into their closed, facing, complementary condition, as shown in FIGURES l and 2, golf balls are snugly and conformably engaged in the complementary hemispherical recesses or formations 50 and 60, 51 and `61, 52 and `62. It is in this condition that heat absorbed by the holding sections 46 and 47 is effectively imparted to the retained golf balls, so that they are warm when ready for use.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a golf-ball warmer which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf-ball warmer comprising a pair of hollow complementary case sections hingedly connected together for swinging movement between a tightly closed position in facing relation and an open position, said case sections being of light-permeable material for transmitting radiant energy to the interior when said case sections are closed, and a pair of complementary ball-holding sections each carried by a respective case section and including a hemispheric formation in completely spaced relation entirely interiorly of the respective case section and a circumferential flange extending about said formation and secured along its marginal edge in conforming engagement with the receiving case section, said ball-holding sections each combining with the associated case section to define therebetween an insulating dead air space and being swingable therewith between a closed ball-retaining position and an open ball-exposing position affording access to a ball, said ball-holding sections `being fabricated of heat-absorbent material for absorbing solar heat transmitted through said case sections and dead air spaces and heating a retained ball.

2. A golf-ball warmer according to claim 1, said case sections being transparent for maximum radiation transmission, and said ball-holding sections being opaque for maximum radiation absorbency.

3. A golf-ball warmer according to claim 1, in combination with a generally U-shaped clip having one leg secured to one of said case sections, for convenient portability by attachment to a users clothing.

4. A golf-ball Warmer according to claim 3, in combination with an apertured member on said clip for removably receiving golf tees.

5. A golf-ball Warmer according to claim 3, said case sections each being formed with an internal peripheral groove, and said ball-holding sections each having its marginal edge engaged in the groove of the associated case section.

6. A golf-ball warmer according to claim 5, said ballholding sections being integrally connected together by a exiblc extension defining a hinge.

7. A golf-ball warmer according to claim 6, in combination with electrical heating means incorporated in said ball-holding section, electrical supply means carried by one of said case sections and electrical conductor means connecting said supply means to said heating means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,718,952 7/1929 Fischer.

1,739,780 12/ 1929 Buhrke.

1,842,456 1/ 1932 MacKenzie 206-46 1,910,930 5/1933 Morris 206-46 2,558,382 6/1951 Previdi 224-5 2,595,905 5/1952 Telkes 126-270 2,617,012 11/1952 Westley 150-52 X 2,768,775 10/ 1956 Houser 224-5 3,038,463 6/ 1962 Daymon 126-270 3,391,688 7/1968 Dery 126-270 VOLODYMYR Y. MAYEWSKY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. XR. 

